Yielding fastening for joints



F. LAMBERT. YIELDING' FAS'TENING FORIJOINTVS.

APPLICATION FILE D OCT. 1'. 1919.

mum May 10; 1921.

3 I I 7 Z, 'IIIIIIII!IIIIIIMIIIIMIIIIIIIIIII% INVENTOR. W

ATTORNEY.

P TENT FRANK LAMBERT, F BROOKLYN, NEW YoRK, ASSIGNOR To THOMSON ETER dowr- IPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW'JERSEY.

YIELDING FASTENING roR JOINTS;

i Specification of Letters Patent. Patented luay 1921.

Application filed October 1, 1919. Serial No. 327,653.

invented YieldingFastenings for 'Joints, of.

V which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates to improvements in yielding fastenings for joints, for example, the joint between the-members of a watermeter casing, and embodies improvements over the device for that purpose of my Patent No. 1,229,623, dated June 12, 1917. In the said patent I have shown the members of a watenmeter casing held together by screws the heads of which are provided with collars having tapered lower surfaces, theheads proper being of no greater diameter than such collars, there being between each such collar and the adjacent portion of the meter casing a split yield-washer, the initial diameter of the bore of which is smaller than the diameter of such collar. In case the liquid contents of the meter-casing freeze and expand, lifting the top member of the meter-casing, this split washer spreads, permitting the head of the screw to pass into or through the bore of the washer, and so permitting a very considerable rise of the top member of the meter casing. V

It has been found,however, that in some cases not even the rise of the top member of the meter casing thus permitted is sufiicient to avoid warping of the casing. When expansion of the contents of the casing begins, so forcing up the top member ,of the casing, this usually occurs, mainly at least, on one side only; one of the split collars may be slightly weaker than the others, or some other condition may start the rise of the top casing member on one side first. As a result, the top casing member cocks," or assumes a tilted position, pivoting on the point diametricall opposite that at which the rise starts. 1- s a result, the rise of one side of the top casing member may be very great, relatively, and may exceed the thickness of the split collar on that side, while the rise on the opposite side is almost nil. Under such conditions, in the case of the construction of my said Patent No. 1,229,623, the collar of the screw is brought against the top of the meter casing, and further expansion of the contents of the casing may lead to warping thereof. I

According to my present invention, I make the screw-holes of the top member of the meter casing of such size that, while they are smaller than the external diameter of'the split Washer or other yieldable member employed, they are so much larger than the head of the screw,-including the collar of that head, that such head may pass completely through such screw-hole even when said top vmember is canted considerably.

The result is that the top member of the meter casing, though normally held down by the said screws and the interposed yieldable members, is free to rise to any degree once sufiicient pressure has been exerted to spread one of the split washers. l

My invention consists, therefore, in a construction such as referred to wherein the screw-holes in the top member of the meter casing are large enough to receive the heads of said screw. I v

The object of my invention is to avoid warping or other harmful effect upon acasing member or the like, due to pressure exerted thereon, and in particular, to avoid warping of the casing or internal parts of water meters due to freezing of their contents. v f K v i V I will now proceed to describe invention with'referen'ce to the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment of, my invention is illustrated,- and will then point out the novel features in claims. In said view, except that the top member ofthe meter casing is shown as raisedand tilted, as by expansion of the contents of the casing; Fig. 3 shows an elevation of one of the fastening screws and the coacting split washer, the latter being shown in section,

Fig. 4 is a top View of the said washer and screw, the washer being shown expanded or spread to permit passage of the head of the screw; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.

4: except that the split washer is shown in i its normal contracted'condition.

In the drawings, '1 designates the upper section of a meter casing, and 2 the lower section thereof, These sectlons are than the head of the screw, and having a tapering lower surface 8.

Split washers, 9, constituting yield members, are interposed between the collars 7 of the screws 5. and the tops of the upper lugs 3. Such split washers are customarily formed of some material, such as brass, capable of some flexure without breakage.

7 As made, ready for use, the gap 11 of each washer will be nearly closed, as shown for,

example in Fig. 5, the collar 7 of the screw pressing against the washer and so holding the top section of the meter casing down. But when sufficient pressure is exerted to lift the top member of the meter casing, by spreading one or more of these washers, the head or heads of the screw or screws affected pass through these washers, and, if the expansion still continues, pass into and, it may be, through the screw-holes 3' of the lugs 3, as indicated in Fig. 2; said screw-holes 3' being made of suflicient size to permit the passage of the heads of the screws, even though the top of the meter casing be considerably canted, as shown in Fig. 2.

It follows, therefore, that according to my present construction the top member of the casingmay rise as required, once suflicient pressure has been exerted to spread the split washers affected, without being bound'in any way. In practice, this is quite important, because in tests of the construction of my saidprior patent I have found that in some cases the expansion is so great as to warp the internal mechanism or the casing fter the latter has lifted sufficiently to bear against the shoulders of theholding screws.

Although I have herein shown the yieldable members interposed between the heads ofthe screws 5 and the lugs 3 in the form of split members 9, I would have it understood that in the broader aspect of my invention 'these interposed yieldable members may be of any practical form or construction adapted to give way under excessive pressure to permit passage of the screw-heads into (and if necessary through) the holes 3'.

Also, I want to make it plain, that when I refer to the fastening members 5as screws, in the description and the claims, it is not in a restrictive sense, but as a convenient way of including any suitable form of fastening device.

IVhat I claim is 1. The combination with two joint members, of means for connecting said members comprising headed screws passing each through a screw-hole of one of said mem bers into engagement with the other of said members, the said screw-hole being of a size to permit'free passage of the head of the screw, and an expansionmember normally interposed between the screw-head and the joint member provided with the screw-hole, but adapted to expand under pressure to permit the passage of the screw-head.

2. A casing comprising a pair of sections adapted to fit together, headed screws passing through holes in one section into engage ment with the other section to secure the two sections together, said holes being of a size to permit the passage of the screw heads, and yieldable members normally interposed between the screw heads and the section provided with the holes, said members being adapted to give way under pressure to permit the passage of the screw heads into said holes. a r

3. casing comprising a pair of sections adapted to fit together, headed screws passing through holes in one section into engagement with the other section to secure the two I sections together, said holes being of a size slightly larger than the screw heads to permit passage of the same, and split washers normally interposed between the screw heads and the section provided with the holes, said washers being adapted to expand under pressure to permit the passage of the screw heads into said holes.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK LAMBERT. I Vitnesses SETH D. HIGLEY,

Trros. E. IRWIN. 

